1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the coding of a distance-dependent triggering of terminal phase-guided projectiles in the medium caliber range in particular, and preferably relates to a beam-riding method as a method for detecting the amount of deviation of the projectile.
2. Description of the Background Art
Terminal phase-guided projectiles generally must be altered in their trajectories or must themselves be capable of altering them. This is accomplished by means of actuating drives that are either aerodynamic or impulse-generating. The information for guidance is ascertained autonomously in the projectile or by means of a seeker head or alternatively is forwarded from the ground (beam-riding method).
DE 44 16 210 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,555, relates to a method and a device for ascertaining a roll angle position on the basis of laser light. Here, a phase-coded laser light beam is produced with the aid of a holographic optical element. This beam is decoded by means of an additional holographic element on the flying body. The signal generated in this process is then used for correction.
A method and a device for trajectory correction of projectiles are known from DE 44 16 211 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,255. In order to be able to correct both individual projectiles and multiple projectiles spaced closely together in time that have different deviations, it is proposed to divide a guide beam—laser—into at least five component beams or segments that are arranged around a central guide beam segment aimed at the collision point. In this design, each guide beam segment is modulated differently. With the aid of the receiving device in the projectile, said projectile then ascertains from the modulation of the guide beam segment the angular position with regard to the collision point required for the correction.
EP 2 083 243 A2 includes a method for ascertaining the roll angle position of a flying body. The method herein comprises the generation of a moving laser beam pattern over a solid angle of a laser beam within which the flying body is located. This step includes the detection of the laser light at the flying body by means of a detection point located to the side of the axis of rotation of said body as well as the pickup of the laser beam pattern at the relevant position of the detection point and ascertainment of the instantaneous roll angle position on the basis of the Doppler shift. In this method, the laser beam pattern is generated by stripes that move over the solid angle of the laser beam with a predetermined frequency.
EP 2 128 555 describes a method for ascertaining the roll angle position of a rotating projectile or flying body. In this method, a light beam transmitted from a fixed station is received by the flying body and focused at the rear of the flying body on a sensor with the aid of an optical element. In this design, the focusing is a function of the angular position of the flying body in space.
A method is known from WO 2009/085064 A2 in which the programming is carried out by the forwarding of light beams. To this end, the projectile has optical sensors on its circumference.
DE 10 2009 024 508.1, which corresponds to US 2010/0308152, relates to a method for correcting the trajectory of a round of terminal phase-guided ammunition, specifically with the projectile imprinting of such projectiles or ammunition in the medium caliber range. It is proposed therein to separately communicate with each individual projectile after a firing burst (continuous fire, rapid individual fire) and in doing so to transmit additional information regarding the direction of the earth's magnetic field for the individual projectile. The projectile imprinting takes place using the principle of beam-riding guidance of projectiles. In this process, each projectile reads only the guide beam intended for that projectile, and can determine its absolute roll attitude in space using additional information, in order to thus achieve the correct triggering of the correction pulse. This imprinting is transmitted to the projectile with an induction coil at the muzzle (CH 691 143 A5), based on the AHED method for example. Alternative transmission possibilities, for example by means of microwave transmitters, are known to those skilled in the art, for example, from EP 1 726 911 A1, which corresponds to US 2007/0074625.